This is a management blind spot. Onboarding – in good French the integration of a new employee – is often neglected by the company and the managers. Blame it on time and perhaps also on a misunderstanding of its importance: 1 frame out of 3 has indeed already slammed the door of his new box because he did not have the feeling of having been well received and accompanied. For the company, the cost of a failed integration is astronomical, valued on average at 7,000 euros. You will have understood the idea, finding the rare pearl is good, keeping it close to you is better. But then what is a successful onboarding? In DreamTeam (308 p., €19.90), number one in France Amazon sales in the HR category, Ludovic Girodon first warns us against a few false beliefs, in particular the belief that this process begins on the employee’s first day at the desk. In his team management toolbox, this company trainer gives the keys to properly welcoming a new recruit. Here are three must-haves.
A long-distance race. Several days or even several weeks may pass between the moment when the employee signs his contract and his actual presence in the company. To avoid any wavering, you must maintain the bond of trust already created. Every little attention from the manager counts. Start by sending an email to remind your recruit how happy you are for their upcoming arrival. And why not provide him with a trombinoscope of each member of the team so that he can already visualize who is who and who does what. Be careful, however, not to flood him with information even before his first day of work. In the same way, be sure to communicate to the members of your team all the useful information concerning him. His presence will only seem more natural, people will already have the impression of knowing him. The day before his arrival, settle the last details in terms of computer equipment, it will save him from spending his first day chasing after office managers.
A process that works. Make sure you are completely available to him on his first day. There’s nothing worse than letting a new kid stare at his desk. So avoid stalling many meetings that day. However, do not believe that a good canteen and a presentation at the entire open space will do the trick. A good integration takes place over three months. The newcomer must be clear week after week on his missions and on what you expect of him at each stage. After the first month, plan a point during a lunch for example, to collect his impressions and correct the situation where necessary. Some managers also provide employees with a questionnaire to be completed one month after their arrival so that they can describe what worked well and especially what they may have been lacking.
A collective experience. The integration of an employee is first and foremost the responsibility of the direct N + 1, but it is also everyone’s business. Some companies appoint a sponsor to support them and answer their questions during the first few weeks. Another practice consists of making new recruits work as a team on a specific subject: the company thus achieves a double blow by optimizing the onboarding process, while allowing newcomers to quickly create a bond. This will reinforce their sense of belonging to the company.